Gilmour Space Technologies, a premier Australian rocket company pioneering
new and innovative hybrid propulsion technologies for launching small
satellites, and Exolaunch, a Berlin-based leader in rideshare launch and
deployment services for small satellites, today announced a series of
agreements for small satellite launch, deployment and in-space
transportation services. The companies join forces to provide tailored
launch, precise deployment and in-space transportation services to the small
satellite operators using Eris, a hybrid launch vehicle, developed by
Gilmour.
Under the agreements, Gilmour partners with Exolaunch, a trusted and
experienced rideshare specialist with a solid flight heritage, and gains
access to Exolaunch’s flight-proven cutting-edge small satellite deployment
technologies and in-space transportation services via Exolaunch’s Reliant
orbital transfer vehicle to expand the capabilities of Eris in low Earth
orbit and beyond. Partnering with Gilmour, Exolaunch gains access to
low-inclination missions and unique orbits via Gilmour’s innovative Eris
launch vehicles lifting-off from Australian soil and will begin manifesting
customers’ satellites on the upcoming launches of Eris.
Gilmour Space has secured a total of $64 million US dollars from global
investors to date, the largest private equity investment raised by a space
company in Australia. The Eris launch vehicle is scheduled for a debut
commercial launch in 2022. The family of Eris launch vehicles will offer
launch capacity within the range of 300-4000 kg to low Earth orbits from
Australian and international launch sites. This capability is in line with
Australian Space Agency’s national civil priority areas which include Access
to Space; Position, Navigation and Timing; Earth Observation; Communications
Technologies; Space Situational Awareness and Debris Management; Leapfrog
R&D; and Robotics and Automation.
“The need for sovereign launch capability is coming into focus for
Australia. However, space is a global industry and we’re proud to be working
with leading companies like Exolaunch, to expand our launch services to
global customers,” said Adam Gilmour, CEO and Co-founder of Gilmour Space.
Exolaunch provides rideshare launch, deployment, integration and in-space
transportation services for New Space companies, space agencies and
scientific institutions. Its flight heritage counts 13 successfully
accomplished launches totaling 170 deployed small satellites with a similar
amount of contracted satellites to be launched in the near future. The
company is known for its ecosystem of flight-proven proprietary small
satellite deployment technologies, including CarboNIX, a lightweight,
scalable and shock-free microsatellite separation system and EXOpod, a
cutting-edge cubesat deployer. Exolaunch is also developing a line of
environmentally-friendly orbital transfer vehicles named Reliant for the
satellite last-mile delivery and space debris removal. Reliant will become
available for commercial use starting in 2023.
“Partnering with Gilmour is a worthy example of bridging progressive
innovation with heritage,” said Jeanne Medvedeva, VP of Launch Services,
Exolaunch. “Reinforcing novel launch architecture with state-of-the-art
deployment and in-space logistics services will pave the way for reliable
launch solutions. We look forward to launching customers’ satellites from
Australia on the Eris rockets making space more accessible for the New Space
industry.”
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